The Perfect Boy
by WeaponsAndDragons56
Summary: Summer for Tenten Tian started with a house party-until she gets caught her parents send her to work on a vineyard in the Sound what will Neji say when he relizes there is another guy there? main SasuTen NejiTen
1. Chapter 1

**Hey this is the first chapter of The Perfect Boy it is a SasuTen fic with some NejiTen there is also some ShikaIno if you look real hard tell me if you like it and review ppl I really like this story and I already have a few ideas for the next chapter**

**Disclaimers- I DO NOT OWN NARUTO If I did Sasuke and Neji would be Mine! LOL :) I also do not own any of the songs in this fic**

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The Perfect Boy

Chapter 1

With the beat of a Britney Spears song pounding in her ears, Tenten Tian clipped up her long brown hair in her signature buns and slid into the hot tub on her parents' deck. Steam rose up from the bubbling water, momentarily obscuring her friends' faces. She inhaled deeply and eased downward. Suddenly, something grabbed her feet under the water.

"NEJI!!!!!!" Tenten screamed. Her boyfriend's sleek, wet head surfaced next to her, and everyone burst into laughter. "What? Did I scare you?" Neji Hyuga asked, flashing his sexy little smirk that curled just the edges of his mouth. After dating him for almost a year, Tenten still thought he was the cutest boy she'd ever seen. Neji's beautiful pearl eyes could always melt her annoyance.

"Yes, you did, jerk!" Tenten said playfully. She punched him on his well-toned ar. "Don't hurt him to badly," Ino Yamanaka called from the other side of the hot tub. "HE's the only one left who knows how to tap a keg- Shikamaru already passed out." She pointed to a dark shape lying in a heap on a lounge chair, barely visible through the Konaha night.

"How is that possible?" Tenten giggled at her best friend. "The party just got started!" "She's not going to hurt me," Neji growled. "Not before I......." He trailed off as he stood up in the water, grabbed Tenten, and tilted her back in his arms. "Eeek!" She giggled, hoping she wasn't flashing the rest of the hot tub. Her D&G string bikini top didn't allow for a lot of gymnastics. Neji went for her neck like a vampire. He started to run his mouth lower, but Tenten struggled upright and shoved him away. "Okay hornball. Save it for later," she said with a laugh. Reluctantly, Neji released her and sat down again. Tenten settled back contentedly in the hot water, Neji's arm around her tanned shoulders. Light spilled over the deck from the French doors behind her. The glow reached the manicured gardens at the edge of the two-acre lawn. Most of the teenage population, plastic cups in hand, were packed in Tenten's living room, where the leather furniture had been pushed against the walls to make a dance floor.

On the deck, couples were cuddling on lounge chairs with beer bottles strewn on the ground next to them. Kiba Inuzaka had started a game of drunken tackle football on the lawn. "Touchdown!!!" Choji screamed as he grabbed the ball and landed headfirst in the shrubbery at the side of the yard.

Tenten smiled. Her first official house party of the summer was only an hour old, and she could already tell it was going to be a great night. In fact, it was going to be a great _summer-_maybe the best ever. Tenten's other best friend, Sakura Haruno, slid up next to her. "So when did your parents leave?" Sakura asked, resting her elbows on the edge of the tube behind her, looking sleek and athletic in her pink Speedo. Tenten laughed. Even though Sakura's idea of resting Saturday was going to the mall for hours on end, Tenten still thought it was funny that she insisted on wearing a one-piece suit to a party full of bikinis and boys. "This afternoon-_finally_," Tenten replied. "They should be arriving in the Sound any minute now."

"I can't believe you have the whole house to yourself for two whole months!" Ino squealed, splashing across the tub to join the two other girls. "I know, right?" Tenten agreed. "You know, at first, they actually tried to tell me that I had to help them fix up that little midlife crisis-I mean , vineyard. But they couldn't resist my powers of persuasion-"

"And that A in AP English, you nerd," Neji teased. She gave Neji a push. "Go get me another beer," she ordered playfully, admiring the muscles of his back as he climbed of the hot tub and shook the water out of his long, dark hair. A tan line showed where the waist line of his baggy gray shorts had dropped down a little. She heaved a sigh of delight of she thought of her and Neji-and her big, empty house-together, all summer.

"Girls, we're going to have so much fun!" she declared, stretching out her long legs and watching her toes bob in the bubbling water s her two best friends flanked on her side. "First of all, we finally got to throw a party we've been planning since finals. And for the rest of the summer, we'll have shopping sprees in the city, the beach every afternoon-" "Parties at your house every weekend!" Ino finished for her, sending a splash of steaming water toward each of the girls. "You have the best party house in Konaha, Tenten."

"No question," Sakura said, looking across the artfully lit pool to the view of the bay. Behind them the sprawling six-bedroom Chinese-style house pulsed with Rihanna's latest album. Tenten smiled her agreement. Everyone was getting what they wanted: Mom and Dad were living their dream up in the Sound, and she was experiencing sweet independence down here in Konaha.

"I should probably go mingle, guys," she told everyone. "I am the hostess, after all." Neji splashed back into the tub next to her just in time to hear her last words. "Don't go too far," he said, winking at her meaningfully. Tenten laughed at him and pulled herself onto the deck, knowing he was enjoying watching the water run off her slim, tanned figure. "If you tap the new keg, I might have a special treat for you later," she said flirtatiously. He grinned back. "Wait, I want my party favor now!" He grabbed for her, but she dogged his grasp and draped a silk sarong around her hips, slipping a gauzy linen shirt on top.

As Tenten made her way to the foyer, she saw Neji's best friend push through the oak front door. "PANDA-CHAN!!!" Lee yelled, crushing her with a bear hug. The hall filled up with huge, brawny boys lugging an extra case of beer. A skinny blonde and black haired appeared behind them, each waving a bottle of vodka. Tenten shook her head- for two of the richest girls at school, Temari and Kin certainly managed to look remarkably cheap.

"We brought Grey Goose!" Temari called. "Your place is awesome, Tenten!" Kin squealed. "Thanks," Tenten said. "Why don't you stick the vodka in the kitchen?" "Oh my God, is that Zaku Abumi?" Temari screeched in reply, staring into the living room. "Doesn't he play for Suna University?" She and Kin hustled past Tenten, nearly knocking her over.

Within an hour, her house was filled with basically every person she knew-and a bunch she didn't. Tenten felt like the queen of summer. When she looked around again, Ino and Sakura were dramatically debating something with Kin. Temari was making out with some guy Tenten didn't know. Someone had put on the Lady Gaga, and couples were grinding in the living room and making out on the sofas. Kiba Inuzaka broke a vase, and Tenten was drinking vodka tonics way too fast.

She needed a breather. So she made her way back onto the now-deserted deck, trying not to stumble too much. "Mmmm," she murmured, collapsing onto a canvas lounge chair. She closed her eyes and let the pounding music behind her wash through her mind. She could feel someone standing over her.

'I've come to collect my party favor now, hostess," Neji whispered as he slid onto the chair next to her. Tenten smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. he pulled her on top of him. "I am so glad your parents are gone."

"Me too." She loved the feeling of his whole body pressed against hers. She twined her fingers in the long, silky hair at the back of his head and kissed him gently. His body tensed, and excitement shot through her. Mmm Neji was so yummy. His lips always tasted like cinnamon. He wrapped his arms around her and flipped himself over, taking her with him. Now he was on top, gazing down at her. "It's going to be a great summer, Tenten Tian," he said softly as he pressed his hips against hers. She closed her eyes and he kissed her again, this time parting her lips with his tongue.

_I couldn't agree more, _she thought. She ran her hands up and down his bare back under his T-shirt as he shifted to the side a little and slid her shirt up. She shivered at the sensation of the fabric brushing her skin.

After a few blissful minutes, Tenten drew back and glanced at the diamond-encrusted Bulgari tank watch her parents had given her for her sixteenth birthday. Ten o'clock. By now, Mom and Dad would have unloaded all the wheelbarrows and pitchforks and whatever the hell they used to resuscitate a run-down vineyard and would be sipping wine, happily oblivious to the biggest party in Konaha. "I should probably go make sure no one's throwing chairs out of the windows or something," she said.

Neji groaned and reached for her. "Don't leave yet." She smiled and tried to pull him up. "Come with me!"

The packed room was grinding to the heavy bass line. The crowd had spilled up the stairs-Tenten could hear some sort of thumping from her parents' room overhead-and into the kitchen.

"Kiba, what are you doing in there?" Tenten called over to the brawny football player. Kiba Inuzaka had apparently given up running in the yard and had just taken off the top of blender. "A little something I like to call Kiba's Late Night Bean Special," Kiba answered with a grin. "You'll love it, Tian" The whir of the blender was just audible over the music. In the back of her mind, Tenten briefly wondered if he was trashing the kitchen but decided it didn't matter. After all, she had two whole months to clean up, and right now dancing to Beyoncé was her main priority. _You love's got me looking so crazy right now._

Neji's arm slid around her waist. He pulled her up tightly against him and handed her a cold beer from the freshly tapped keg. Tenten wrapped one arm around his shoulders, swaying her hips to the music, and took a sip with the other hand. "Mmmm," she murmured and buried her face in his neck. _Your touch got me looking so crazy right now_.

From behind her, she could hear Ino shrieking, "Oh my God! She did not!" Somewhere, glass shattered. Tenten shook her hair back from her face and raised her arms in the air, swaying to the music. Neji took her chin in his hand and leaned down. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," he murmured into her ear, his lips brushing the side of her face. Their eyes met as he slowly brought his mouth to hers.

Tenten felt like her whole body was electrified. She ran her hands down Neji's back as he dipped her backwards. "Ow! Ow! Go, Tenten!" Sakura giggled, bumping her shoulder. Tenten twirled around, her eyes closed, singing as loud as she could, "_Got me looking so crazy in love!"_

In the distance, she could hear someone calling her name. But the music drowned out the voice. She'd deal with it when this song ended. Beyoncé could not be ignored. Then the call came closer.

"Tenten! Tenten Tian!" _That sounds like my father, _she thought dreamily. _I wonder if they ever have stereos in the Sound._

"TENTEN! TIAN!" _Wow, that really sounds like Dad. _Tenten smiled to herself. But when she opened her eyes, her father was not smiling back.

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**How'd you guys like it was the first chapter ok? If you guys review I'll write the next chapter :) Tell me if I should continue or not ok? And give me some ideas on the next chapter I already have a few ideas but need to hear yours cause they might be better! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys this is the second chapter to The Perfect Boy hope you guys like it I do :) I know this one is a little shorter and I apologize I really do please don't hurt me......anyway please review at the end please! Thanks and enjoy chapter 2 :)**

**Disclaimer- I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!!!!!! _____________________________________________________________________________________**

Tenten froze. She could feel the blood draining from her face. Neji stumbled into her. "Wha-" Then he looked up and went totally rigid.

All around her, the party was still going on. No one had noticed her parents yet. Ino stumbled out of the kitchen, a bottle of vodka in her hand. "Tenten!" she yelled "Are there anymore glasses-oh, sh-Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Tian," she said, quickly regaining her composure. Neither of Tenten's parents moved from the doorway. Her father's face was beet red and his eyes widened to cover about half of his face. as his body tensed, his head looked like it was sinking into the collar of his shirt. Her mother's was completely white. "Ino," she said in a strangled voice, "please turn off the music."

"Right. Right away!" Ino bounded over to the stereo and cut Beyoncé off mid-cry. Everybody stopped dancing and looked around. Quickly sizing up the situation, Lee cupped his hands around his mouth. "Busted!" he bellowed. "Everybody run!" Pandemonium broke loose as people shoved out the back door, yelling "Get out!" No one had the nerve to go past Tenten's parents, still standing in the living room doorway. Tenten's mouth was dry and the walls were spinning. Through the fog, she felt Ino and Sakura squeeze her hands as they ran toward the back door.

"Call me," Tenten managed to whisper.

And all of a sudden, everyone was gone. Only Tenten and Neji still stood together in the middle of the floor. "Arrhmmm!" Kotoru Tian cleared his throat pointedly. Tenten winced. "You'd better go," she muttered to Neji. "I'll text you."

"Um, bye, Mr. and Mrs. Tian," he tried weakly, giving Tenten a sympathetic glance. He awkwardly squeezed through the doorway. Once the three of them were alone, Tenten's mother slowly walked into the room and sat down on the leather sofa. With a cry, she jumped back, soaked from the pool of beer on the cushion. Her father's face was purple. Her mother gingerly perched on a sofa's arm. Not looking at Tenten, she muttered, "We forgot some paperwork."

_Ah. _Tenten righted an upturned chair and slowly sat down. She buried her face in her hands. She wasn't quite sure which was worse-the guilt she felt looking at her mother's face, or the regret that she was probably in the worst trouble of her entire life. Her parents were silent, obviously waiting for an explanation-but really, what could she say? She should at least try to dig herself out of this mess. "Guys," she began, "I'm really sorry-"

"Sorry!" her father exploded. 'What are you talking about? We leave the house for six hours, after spending a month going over summer rules. All we want is to get a box of files and what do we find? A hundred drunken teenagers trashing our house!"

"Daddy-"

"And who is responsible for this? Who? Our daughter, who assured us that she would take care of everything this summer!'Don't worry, Dad,' you said. 'I'll be just fine.' Well, this doesn't look 'just fine' to me, Tenten!" Tenten took a deep breath. "Look, Dad, just let me explain."

"Explain what, Tenten?" Mom said. Tenten's stomach dropped all the way to her flip flops. "This situation seems perfectly clear to me. We trusted you. You broke that trust." Tenten had a horrible feeling she knew what was going to happen next. She desperately tried to head it off with a pitiful stream of babbling. "I'm so sorry, guys! I promise, promise, promise, promise it will never, ever happen again! It was going to be my only party, I swear, just a little reward after school, before senior year, to celebrate summer. I-I-" She searched around for something to please them. "I won't even stay here this summer! I'll go live with Ino- Mrs. Yamanaka is incredibly strict and harsh."

"No," her dad said firmly. "You're going to spend the rest of the evening to clean this mess, then in the morning, you're going to the Sound with us. So get started."The calmness in his voice sounded terrifyingly final. Tenten let out her breath. "Okay, Dad," she said in a barley controlled voice. "I understand that I screwed up and the I should have to go to the Sound for a while to help guys out as my punishment. But how long are we talking about? A week?" She had to stop to control the tremor in her voice. "Two weeks? I'll you guys do whatever....." She broke off. Both of her parents were staring at her.

"Tenten," Mom said.

"What?"

"Your father isn't talking about a short visit. You'll be helping us out for the rest of the summer."

_What?!_. As silence fell over the room like dead weight, Tenten's vision of the beach, Neji, and freedom floated out into the now-foggy Konaha night. "The entire summer...?" She croaked. Her dad answered her with a stare. He spoke as if Tenten had just suddenly gone dumb. "Do... you... truly... think... you're... staying... here... after... all... this?" Tenten swallowed. Amaya Tian got up from the sofa and went into the kitchen. "This discussion is over," she shot over her shoulder. There was a pause. Then an eruption. "TENTEN TIAN WHY THE HELL IS THERE BEAN DIP ALL OVER THE CEILING?!?!?!?!?!?"

Tenten watched her dad stiffly walk onto the deck. He stood illuminated by the tiki torches with his hands on his hips, staring at a floating lawn chair in the pool. As Tenten stood to walk to the kitchen, she saw her father's shoulders slump as he slid his head into his hands. And she felt that the best summer of her life slip right through her fingers. _____________________________________________________________________________________

**So how'd you guys like it??? I know it was short but I tried I really did I didn't have enough options at the end I couldn't think of a good place to stop but I think it turned out fine.....review and tell me how you like it ok?? I would gladly read all of your reviews if you have any options for chapter 3 please tell me ok??? Thanks :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys this is the third chapter hope you guys like :)**

**Disclaimer-I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!!!!! _____________________________________________________________________________________**

"Ow!" Weighed down by two huge suitcases and dragging a huge duffel bag behind her, Tenten stumbled as she stubbed her toe on the edge of the door frame. She managed to wrangle them down the steps.

The morning was fresh and dewy, with puffy white clouds skating above in the beautiful blue sky, but it might as well be raining as Tenten crammed her stuff in the trunk of the Volvo c70. _Good-bye beach, bye shopping, bye sleeping till noon, bye hanging out with Sakura and Ino. And mostly, bye Neji. _She had texted him that she was being kidnapped. _Rescue me! _She had typed, without much hope.

"Tenten! Did you remember your hiking boots?" her mother's voice called out from the house. The woman had no right to be so hyper at 7 in the morning. "The terrain gets pretty rocky up there!" Her mother sounded like she was relishing the thought. "I did, Mom!" Tenten sang out through gritted teeth. "Well, we are leaving in just a few minutes. Dad is just checking the air-conditioning one more time."

Suddenly Tenten heard a car engine behind her. She whirled around to see Neji stepping out of his silver Lamborghini murcielago. "Hey, babe," Neji cooed. He was still wearing his clothes from the party, and his hair was all matted on one side, sticking up on the other. She could see sleep sand in the corner of one eye as he bent to kiss her forehead. "You look horrible," she noted. "Have you been home yet?" He scrubbed the side of his face with his hand. "No, I crashed on Lee's couch. Hashi is going to kill me when I get home. I can't believe I'm up this early. But I couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye" He leaned down to kiss her just as the front door slammed. Tenten clutched to Neji.

"Don't let them take me!" she whispered. "I'm going to die up there!" He kissed her forehead again. "I'll call you every night." The garage door opened and Neji looked up. "I'd better go."

Tenten watched forlornly as he backed down the driveway and floored the accelerator. As he sped away, an arm appeared out of the driver's window and flapped a few times. She lifted her own hand in response and kept it up until the car had disappeared around the corner.

'Okay!" Mom came out of the house. She seemed to have recovered her good humor now that they were almost on their way back to the Sound. "Got all your stuff in the car?" she asked Tenten. "Yep." Dad bustled up and slapped his hands together. "Everyone go to the bathroom?"

Oh. My. God. Was this entire summer going to be like this? She looked up at the sky, hoping to fight the overwhelming feeling that her world was shrinking to a nonexistent. She climbed into the backseat and buckled her seatbelt, planting her sneakered feet on a box of dishes. "Let's just go already, okay?"

Her parents exchanged a classic our-teenage-daughter-is-such-a-pain-in-the-you-know-what glance. _Good, _Tenten thought. _We're all on the same page. I think you guys are a pain in the ass too. _She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the leather seat back. She could hear a double _bam-bam _as her parents got in and shut their doors. Maybe she could sleep the whole way.

Peaceful silence filled the car as her dad wound through the streets on Konaha till they finally left. Tenten drifted away, her head lolling on her shoulder. "Tenten." Her father's voice jerked her awake. "Huh?" A trickle of drool had reached her chin. She wiped at it furiously. Her mom twisted around to face the backseat. "Daddy and I want to talk to you about this summer." Tenten groaned. Her dad went on. "We're going to need you to help us and do some work on the vineyard grounds. You're starting at zero responsibility scale. This vineyard is very important to me and your mother, so we expect you to take this seriously.

"Umm?" Tenten tuned them out when her purse started buzzing. She slid her BlackBerry Curve out of her bag. **Chat request from Ino. **She held it down by her side and pressed **Start Conversation.**

**Ino-****How are you?**

**Tenten-****Awful, of course-what did you expect?**

**Ino-****Sakura and I miss you already! We are going to ****Ichiraku ramen 4 brunch.**

Tenten's stomach grumbled at the thought. Ichiraku ramen had the best ramen in town.

**Tenten-****Thanks for that. I'm probably heading off to eat gruel all summer**

**Ino-****Going to the beach later-It'll be weird without you**

**Tenten-****I know. All I want is to hang out with you guys, sleep in, and see Neji. But I'm going to be slave labor for the next two months**

**Ino-****Poor girl! Maybe Sakura and I can come rescue you!**

**Tenten-****That would be great. I don't think you could get past the prison guards though**

**Ino-****Sakura and I will be thinking of you! XOXO!!**

Tenten pressed **End Conversation**, heaved a gusty sigh, and stared out the window at miles and miles of pine trees; rocky, sandy soil; and distant bluish hills. They passed a vegetable stand with a sign in the front that read Tomatoes $1/LB.

Of course, Tenten had seen pictures of the Sound but she has never been there before. She had never even seen a vineyard before either and she was going to be living at one for two months. She leaned a little closer to the window. The land was completely covered in trees and some vineyards every few miles. Low stone walls lined the two-lane road. Hand-lettered signs reading Wine Tasting Today and South Sound Winery flashed by. Occasionally, they passed a palatial gate with the name of the vineyard spelled out in iron letters at the top. Past these gates were long, groomed gravel driveways lined with towering trees.

Tenten settled back into her seat, comfortably wiggling her shoulders into the cushy leather as she pictured a massive stone villa, surrounded by acres of manicured lawn. She'd be in a clingy black dress, pouring wine for a clutch of sophisticated vineyard visitors. "This is our newest blend, a merlot-burgundy," she imagined herself saying. "It has very strong legs." Everyone nodded, impressed with her knowledge, and slipped delicately from their long-stemmed glasses. _Maybe this won't so bad after all, _she thought as she dozed off. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Ok that was chapter 3 hope you guys liked! I did I thought it went well.....review please and tell me what you guys think don't worry Sasuke will be in the story hopefully in chapter 5 maybe even sooner I don't know yet but please review! Thanks :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys this is the 4th chapter to The Perfect Boy....hope you guys like! :)**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!!!!! _____________________________________________________________________________________**

"Here we are!" Her dad's voice was offensively cheerful. Mom was rummaging around in her handbag, muttering something about the keys. Tenten leaned forward eagerly as the car turned onto a long, rocky hillside. Twisted pine trees were around them. She rolled down her window and inhaled a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. It did smell good here.

The car slowed down and turned through an opening in a crooked wooden fence that looked about a hundred years old. An enthusiastic profusion of morning glories and wisteria vines draped over the top rails. Tenten squinted at a little wooden sign hanging crookedly to the driveway: Copper Way Winery. "Our front entrance," her dad announced proudly.

Tenten's vision of the lush vineyard with romantic stone buildings and polished tile floors began to disappear. Everyone hung onto their door handles as her dad swerved to avoid the gaping holes along the bumpy road. Tenten tried to focus on the looming pine trees surrounding them.

"Whoa!" Kotoru slammed on the brakes.

"Oh my God," Tenten said, squinting through the windshield from the backseat. "Is that a pig?"

Mom sighed. "The next door neighbor keeps them, and sometimes they get out. I believe that one is named Kellan(yes I named the pig after the actor who played Emmett Cullen in Twilight got a problem with it LOL :) he is sexy)." The enormous black pig meandered around the middle of the driveway. Kotoru blew the horn, which the pig haughtily ignored.

Mom opened the car door. "Let's see if he'll just walk off with a little urging. We can call the neighbor when we get to the house." Slowly she walked toward the pig and puts her hand in her pockets. She drew something out and threw it into the bushes by the side of the road. Kellan lifted his huge head up, snorted, and lumbered off toward the object.

"What was that?" Tenten asked as Mom got back into the car. "Oh, nothing." Her voice was airy. "I had some cheese crackers in my pocket."

"Wow. Now can we please drive up to the house?" Tenten shook her head, trying to reconcile the sophisticated Mom she knew who, never left the house without her lip-gloss, with a woman who kept pig bait in her pocket.

Leaving Kellan happily eating his processed cheese, the Volvo passed through the little grove and rounded one more turn. Tenten's father pulled up to a clearing in the grass. "Welcome to Copper Way Vineyard," he announced. "First tasting will be held in the wine room in"-he looked at his watch-"approximately two months."

Tenten stared at the structure in front of her. It was more a cottage than an actual house, and it looked like it belonged to a children book fairy tale, not for the Sound. Ivy covered the white clapboard sides, climbing to the slate roof. Curtains fluttered from the open window upstairs, and a porch with elaborate wooden railings, scrolls, and gingerbread carving spread across the length of the house. The place was sitting in the middle of a giant, overgrown flower garden, where rose bushes competed with hollyhocks for the most sunshine. _Who lives here? _Tenten wondered. _Umpa Loompas?_

Her parents practically jumped out of the car as Tenten extracted herself from the backseat. The only sounds were of her parents rummaging around at the back of the car, the wind moving through the top of the trees like the ocean hitting the shore, and a mockingbird singing madly on a branch over her head. The air was dry and cool in the shade, but when she stepped out into the sunshine, she could feel the heat on her bare arms. She fished in her bag for her oversize Dior sunglasses. A mosquito whined in her ear. She swatted at it and slapped at another one on her leg. Perfect.

"What do you think?" Mom picked up a big canvas bag and glanced at her daughter. Her father was busily pulling bags and boxes out of the trunk and piling them on the ground. Tenten chose her words carefully. "It's.....nice......Little."

Mom gave her and absentminded smile, but before Tenten could respond, she heard a crunching sound behind her. She turned to see a black haired man about her parents' age appear around the side of the house.

"Fugaku!" Her father waved the man over. "Tenten this is Fugaku Uchiha, our business partner."

"I'm glad to finally meet you, Tenten." Fugaku smiled at her. His voice was a little harsh but was also gentle at the same time. He wiped his hand on his canvas pants and held it out. Tenten shook the outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you, too," she said.

Fugaku turned to her father. "Kotoru, I want to take a look at the southwest irrigation ditch, if you have a moment. I know you just arrived, but darned if that hose hasn't backed up and filled it in again."

"Damn. Not that thing again. You know, I think if we use the black tubing..."The two men disappeared around the side of the house, Kotoru gesturing and talking, Fugaku nodding. Mom was loading herself up with bags and a big box of groceries. "The front door key is buried in my bag somewhere, but the kitchen door is open."

"Why can't we just pull the car around back?" Tenten asked. "That would be a lot easier than hauling all this stuff around."

"Grab that suitcase, will you? We can't pull the car around. the trees are too close-it won't fit."

"Mom, I have to pee so bad!"

"Well, go inside- take the suitcase with you. The bathroom's upstairs. There's only one."

"_What?"_ Tenten couldn't hide her unintentional indignation. Mom straightened up and pressed her lips together. She looked like she was about to say something but decided against it. "Whatever!" Tenten said hastily. "What I meant was, great! I adore sharing a bathroom with my parents and assorted wildlife. Maybe Kellan the pig would like to move in also."

"Perhaps he would. Why don't you go back down the road and ask him?" Mom said calmly. They heaved the bags and boxes around to the back, which was covered by another shady porch. A swing and an array of wooden rocking chairs dotted the yard. Trellises stood against the sides of the house, covered in climbing roses. A large lawn spread out in a semicircle, surrounded on all sides by twisting grapevines. Clusters of lush purple grapes hung down. They looked delicious.

Ignoring her bladder, Tenten walked over to the grapes and picked a few of the ripest. They were firm and smooth with a hint of silvery frost on them. Her mouth was already watering. She popped them in her mouth and bit down. Hot, sweet juice spurted onto her tongue. Mmm. Wow. They were more intensely grape-y than anything she'd ever tasted. She glanced back at the house and carefully spat out the thick skins and seeds onto the ground.

Tenten lugged her suitcase up the back steps and pushed open the screen door. She stepped into a little back hallway. She heard Mom already banging cabinet doors in a light blue painted kitchen to her right. A steep wooden staircase extended up in front of her. She climbed the steps, listening to them creak under her feet. The upstairs hallway was narrow, with few rooms visible through their half-open doors. Tenten briefly took in the cream painted walls, wide planked hardwood floors, and sunlight pouring into through the open windows.

She spotted the bathroom at the end of the hall and darted in. It was tiny, with just enough room for a pedestal sink, a toilet, and a huge old tub that looked like it was made of copper. The floor was covered with old-fashioned black and white hexagonal tiles. A distressed armoire painted shabby-chic white stood in the corner. Tenten thought longingly of the heated towel racks, three showerheads, and vast marble countertop of her private bathroom at home.

She turned on the water at the freestanding sink and stuck her hands underneath. "_Yowch!_" she yelped, and yanked her hands back, shaking off droplets of scalding water. Tenten glanced at the sink. Two faucets for hot and cold. She scowled and dried her hands on her sweatpants.

There were three other doors in the hallway besides one leading to the bathroom. The first room had an antique desk pushed against the wall, an old sofa, and a bookcase overflowing with books and papers. A laptop sat on the desk. _That must be the room they're using as an office,_ Tenten thought. She peeked into what must have been her parents' room next. A big bed with an old brass headboard stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by a sea of boxes. Every room had funny slanted walls and low wooden ceilings. Tenten felt like she was on a boat.

There was only one door left, at the end of the hall. "Is this end room mine? Tenten called downstairs to her mother, who was still clattering around in the kitchen. "Yes, it is!" she called back.

A cool breeze blew against Tenten's face as she walked in the door. Across the room, big glass doors leading to a balcony were flung open. The walls were a soft pastel green color. One wall slanted down almost to the floor. A little corner alcove held a built-in cushioned bench with pretty pillows. The polished wooden floors were bare except for a few woven rugs. A four-poster bed was covered with a green and white flower-patterned bedspread. There was a big, old fashion wardrobe in one corner and a white vanity table, the kind with a mirror on top and a cushioned stool.

Tenten sat on the corner of the vanity table. What was she going to do here? Everything was so little and creaky and old. She felt caged in already. She stood and went to the open doors. The green rows of grapevines stretched out for miles before her, with rolling grassy hills in the background, streaked her and there with bands if dark pine trees. Far away, on a hill, the tiny red dot of a tractor moved slowly across the landscape. Tenten couldn't help but think of the view she had back home. The beautiful trees with a little bit of ocean in the background home in Konaha.

She reluctantly dragged the big blue suitcase into her new room from the hall. She felt exhausted, like she'd been traveling for a week. Just this morning, she had woken up on her own huge bed with the silky sheets, snuggled under her plush panda bear in her room, with its remote control lighting and sleek stereo system. But now she was sharing a room with eight million mosquitoes and Lord knew what other wildlife. And there was no escape.

Tenten gathered up an armful of dresses and skirts, most of them still of the hangers, and started stuffing them into the wardrobe in the corner. It took about thirty seconds for her to fill up the hanging section. She struggled to shove a few more pieces, then stared first at the wardrobe then at her suitcase in dismay. She hadn't even unpacked even a quarter of what she brought. Panting a little, she managed to shut the wardrobe by hurling her shoulder against it. She stood back. The sleeves of a cashmere sweater was stuck between the door panels.

Tenten flopped onto the fluffy bedspread like a wet rag. "Ughh!" she moaned to the ceiling. "I am officially living my worst nightmare." _____________________________________________________________________________________

**YAY!!!! I'm finally finished with chapter 4 hope you guys like it! Sasuke will most likely be in the next chapter or hopefully by the sixth I promise :) Review ppl please!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey this is chapter five!!!! YAY!!! exciting isn't it....? Yea well I think you all will like this chapter cause of one special surprise :P review please at the end**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!!!!! _____________________________________________________________________________________**

When Tenten's cell rang at dusk, she snatched it like it might magically transport her back to civilization and save her from morosely staring out at the gathering blue and purple shadows on the lawn. "How's the prison inmate?" Ino crackled from the other end. "Oh my God! I'm so glad you called!" Tenten cried, sitting up in her chair and lowering her feet from the porch railing. "Hey, don't hold back or anything." Ino laughed. "So is it horrible or what?" Tenten stood and began pacing between the room and the porch, holding the phone in a death grip. "There was a pig in the driveway when we drove up!" She yanked the phone away from her ear to dull the shrieks of her friend's ridiculous laughter. "Hey, you could be feeling sorry for me, you know," she said.

Ino chokingly pulled herself together. "I know," she said weekly. "It's just that-come on. Tenten Tian and a pig? Is he your new buddy?"

"Very funny. And there's only one bathroom, all the rooms are tiny, and my hideous parents have already sentenced me to manual labor," Tenten flopped down on her bed and hung her head over the side. She stared at the rich brown floorboards and traced a little pattern with her finger. "Unbelievable. What's the deal with this place? I mean why are they so obsessed with it?" Ino asked. Tenten heaved a gusty sigh. "It's their dream," she said, rolling her eye. They've talked about buying a vineyard for practically as long as I can remember. The owners of this place went bankrupt because of some sort. So they sold it for a cheap price and now my parents are convinced that making wine is their destiny. And apparently I have to be a part of it."

"Well don't worry. They can't keep you there for the whole summer, can they?" Tenten laughed. "Why not? They can do whatever they want." She knew Ino was trying to make her feel better, but she couldn't help her nasty mood. "The party was hella fun, though," Ino reminded her. "Everyone's saying that it was the best one of the summer so far." Tenten smiled. "Thanks, chica."And-"

Tenten sat up. "Wait, what's that noise?" A steady _cheep, cheep, cheep _was coming from one corner of the porch. She got up from her bed. "What? Tenten, is it a bear?" Ino cried. She sounded genuinely scared. Tenten went out onto the porch and peered into the dark corner. The cheeping stopped as if on a timer. "No, Miss Hysteria, it's a cricket, not a bear. I'm not in bear territory." She backed away a step. _Cheep, cheep, cheep._ She moved forward. It stopped. Back. _Cheep. _Forward. Stop. "It's majorly annoying though," she said as she retreated into her bedroom. The cheeping resumed, right on cue. "Poor Ten-hey, I've got to go," Ino said. "Kristen's on the other line. We're all going to dinner in a few minutes."

"Who's going?" Tenten asked mournfully. "Why are you torturing yourself? The usual: Neji, Lee, Kin, Temari, me, and Sakura. Don't worry, we'll get an extra chair for you." Tenten pushed her face into her pillow. "Thanks, she mumbled. "Bye."

"Bye. I'll call you." Tenten tossed her phone on the bedside table and lay staring at the darkness. _Cheep, cheep, cheep. _She sat up and turned the lights on. The cheeping stopped. She turned the light off and lay backed down. _CHEEP, CHEEP, CHEEP. _Tenten sat up again. "Shut up!" she yelled in the direction of the porch. The noise stopped for a moment, as if the cricket was considering its options, and then began again, deciding Tenten wasn't worth listening to. _Of course, _Tenten thought. _Because what I want doesn't matter anymore. _

**NEXT DAY**

Tenten! Rise and shine sleepy head!" Tenten pulled the sheet over her head and rolled onto her stomach. "Mmmff," she moaned. She could hear someone come up the stairs. "Come, on Tenten time to get up!" Mom's voice grew louder as she entered the room. Tenten lifted her head and clawed the sheet from her face. "Mom what time is it?" She fell back into the comfortable embrace of her mattress and let her fingers graze the mosquito bites on her forehead. She had forgotten to shut the porch doors last night. "It's six-thirty in the morning Sunshine." Mom was wearing one of Dad's button-down shirts with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of khaki pants. She strode over to the porch and leaned on the railing. "Ah! Jus t smell that air! Isn't this porch darling? You could sleep out here if you wanted."

"Shhh," Tenten whispered, turning over on her side and fluffing her pillow. "Right now I'm sleeping in here. I'll be down in a few hours. Can you shut the door when you leave?"

"Get up, get up! Dad and I have already had breakfast. We have a whole plan for you, so be downstairs in fifteen minutes, my lovely." She left the door open behind her as she skipped out. Tenten flopped onto her back and lay with her arm over her face. _Six thirty? _The woman was inhuman. And "a whole plan" sounded suspiciously like it might include large amounts of lifting and sweat. Grumbling, Tenten heaved herself out of bed and wrestled a short white cotton dress out of the bulging wardrobe. She briefly considered a shower, but realized that no one would see her except for her parents and Fugaku. She pictured Neji pulling up in the driveway in his gleaming Lamborghini, grinning behind his aviator sunglasses (can you picture Neji with aviators lol that would be a sight :P). "Hey babe!" he'd call out. "I came to rescue you!" Tenten shook her head to dispel the image. The chance of Neji coming up to save her was about as high as the chance that her parents would actually let her sleep another night alone in the next twenty years.

She pulled her hair into a messy knot on the top of her head and slipped her feet into a pair of flip flops. Then she grabbed her huge sun hat from its nail on the wall and looked in the mirror. Ugh. Eyes puffy, face pale, so many mosquito bites that her forehead look liked the surface of Mars and.....lo and behold, the start of a lovely zit smack in the middle of her chin. She ripped the hat off, tossed it on the bed, stuck her sunglasses on her head instead. The last time she felt this gross was- actually she never felt this gross.

In the sun-flooded kitchen, she sat down at the round wooden table and tried to stretch her eyes all the way open. Mom set an enormous spinach and cheese omelet down in front of her. Without even looking up, Tenten started devouring it, along with two pieces of toast. "We've been having such fun eating local," her mother chattered as she bustled around the kitchen, putting away the omelet ingredients. "Those eggs are from our neighbors down the road. I found goat cheese at the little grocery in town that sells all home grown foods from here in the Sound. And the spinach is from our garden!"

"Great," Tenten mumbled with her mouth full. It was hard for her to muster up enthusiasm for origins of food before seven o'clock in the morning. Amaya poured herself a glass of orange juice and sat down across the table. "It's so relaxing here," she went on. "The air gives me so much energy! Take a deep breath. Don't you just love it?"

"Um, yea." Tenten was concentrating on heaping three teaspoons of sugar into her coffee. She needed the caffeine- immediately. Her head was pounding and her eyes refused to stay open without serious effort. Mom jumped up as a truck engine rumbled outside in the front. "That must be Dad and Fugaku. They went down to talk about the harvest schedule with our neighbor on the other side," she explained. "We might trade work to help each other out. Come on out when you're done, okay, honey?" Her voice trailed off as the screen door slammed behind her. Tenten gulped her coffee in three swallows and immediately felt more awake. She lowered her sunglasses and clattered down the back steps. Under the pure blue sky, the air was cool but held the promise of heat. The sun was shooting its lemon-yellow rays around the mountains and over the lush, green vineyard. In one corner of the yard flowering quince glowed orange in the morning light. As she walked around the front of the house, Tenten barely even noticed what a shack the place was.

"Hi, honey!" Dad called as he and Fugaku climbed down from the cab of an ancient red pickup truck. "Come on over!" He handed his wife a bag of groceries , which she hoisted onto her hip and carted back around the house, giving Tenten a peck on her forehead as she passed. "Morning, Fugaku! Morning Sasuke!" Amaya called over her shoulder.

Tenten's head shot up. _Sasuke?_ She peered over her dad's shoulder and finally noticed a guy with spiked black hair with a hint of blue in it, sitting in the truck bed. "Morning, Mrs. Tian." The mystery guy rose and vaulted over the edge of the truck, landing lightly on the ground. He stood about six feet tall, and his navy T-shirt hung loosely over his broad shoulders and showed off his muscles of his chest and arms. Even from where she was standing, Tenten could see that his forearms were strong and corded. "Tenten, I want you to meet Sasuke," her father said. "This is Fugaku's son. You two will be working together this summer." _What? _Somewhere in the background, her dad was still talking. "Sorry, hon, I forgot to mention yesterday that Sasuke is staying up here at the vineyard for the summer too. Fugaku and I thought it would be great for you to work together."

Sasuke's beautiful onyx eyes were trained on her. For a moment, she stared right back. She felt her face get hot and her heart speed up. Wow, he was really sexy. The moment stretched out until he blinked his long black eyelashes quickly, like he was trying to wake up from something, and stuck out his hand. "Hey, nice to meet you. " He flashed this sexy smirk and made Tenten's mind race.

Why exactly did she decide not to take a shower this morning? Wait, stop. Who cared if he was gorgeous? _You're not available, Tenten! _She summoned up an appropriately bored smile and shook hands with Sasuke's hand. His hand felt warm and firm against hers. She drew in her breath at his touch. What was going on? _Stop! _She took her hand away and awkwardly brushed some hair back from her forehead. Maybe she'd had too much coffee. As Tenten considered switching to decaf, Sasuke casually stuck his hands in the pockets of his battered jeans and leaned against the side of the truck. He smirked at her again. "So, you all got in yesterday, right?

'Um, yeah." For some reason she couldn't think of anything else to say. Sasuke waited for a second then tried again. "Cool. What do you think of the place so far?"

"Obviously, it's great." The sarcasm was unintentional; she was going for smooth. _Damn. _She felt like she was in school, standing at attention in front of him like she was about to recite a play or something. She looked around for a place to sit, but there wasn't one, so she just crossed her arms awkwardly. Sasuke seemed a little thrown. "Ah, yeah. The house is amazing. Have you seen the grapevines yet?" She snorted a little involuntarily. "Well, they're pretty hard to miss." Arrrgg. _Mean _when she meant _friendly_. She was trying to be polite, but, honestly, this whole situation was aggravating. The sun was hot, her breakfast felt like a boulder in her stomach, and worst of all, she had no idea what "amazing project" her parents had cooked up for her and this guy. No matter how nice he was, he couldn't teleport her back to Konaha, and that was really the only thing she wanted.

Sasuke opened his mouth but shut it quickly and fixed Tenten with a quizzical stare, as if he was realizing something. "Yeah, I guess it's too bad if your anti-grapevine. Your trapped by about three hundred miles of them," he said, rolling his eyes playfully and shooting her a rueful grin. "Okay kids!" Kotoru walked up beaming. His pale skin was already sunburned, and he was sweating in the strong mountain sun. He slapped his hands together. "Now, I have a really special project for the two of you." _Oh boy, _Tenten thought. _Here it comes. _"What, Dad?"

"well, I think I should just show you-it's going to be great when it's all done. Come on, let's take the truck." He climbed into the driver's seat of the red pickup. "Um, Dad," Tenten asked, "where did you get this truck?" The windows were missing their glass, and the stuffing in the seats was bulging out everywhere. The inside if the cab was sprinkled liberally with dog hair and bits of straw. "Got it at an auction when we came up here at Christmas. remember, I told you about it?" Tenten did vaguely remember him going on about a great deal he had gotten up in the Sound. "Climb in!"

Sasuke hoisted himself back into the truck bed. Tenten hesitated for a minute. She had never ridden in the back of a truck before. Sasuke was watching her from his perch on a straw bale. "want a hand?" he asked. He stood up and leaned over the edge, extending his arm toward her. "No, thanks," she said, trying to sound airy. She perched her sunglasses on top of her head and climbed awkwardly onto the tailgate, trying to avoid flashing her hot pink bikini underwear. Her feet were sliding around- sneakers probably would have been a better choice of footwear for right now. She was almost in the truck, when one flip-flop caught on something and slid off into the dirt. Tenten looked down in dismay. "Crap!" she said. She was caught in a very unflattering position-straddling the tailgate, one leg in the truck bed, one outside, with her rear sticking out, and clutching the edge with both hands. She swung a leg over so she could hop down, but before she could, there was a soft thud behind her. In one motion, Sasuke reached down, tossed her flip-flop, and effortlessly swung back into the truck.

"Thanks," she said, surprised. "No problem." He winked at her. Tenten started a little. Damn, he was sexy. She settled herself on a bale of straw, and the truck engine started with a roar. She jumped at the noise before she could stop herself. Sasuke glanced over at her. She lightly tossed her hair and looked the other way. He leaned forward and raised his voice over the engine noise. "Your dad seems unaware that there's this new invention called a muffler....,? he said, gesturing to the front of the cab. Tenten laughed in spite of herself, the wind blowing against her face and her hair flapping out behind her.

The truck bumped over the rocky soil down a dirt track that wound between the rows and rows of vines. The grapes hung thick in their clusters beneath their canopies of green leaves. Despite the neat, curving rows, the place had slightly wild air. Crows perched here and there, eyeing the grapes. A red-tailed hawk circled overhead, momentarily hanging in the air before folding its wings and silently hurtling toward the earth.

The truck stopped in front of a little stream. Tenten looked around at the rocky bank twisting along the field in a silvery streak until it disappeared out of sight between two hills. This must be the edge of the property. A broad meadow spread out on the other side of the stream, tangling high grasses and scattered boulders competing for space with masses of blue and yellow wildflowers. The mountains lay brooding beyond, overlooking the landscape like sentinels.

Dad killed the engine, and Sasuke rose quickly and hopped out of the truck. Tenten followed cautiously, eyeing the distance from the bed to the ground, trying to calculate whether or not she could make it without losing anymore of her clothing. She looked up, realizing that Sasuke was watching her again. "Don't worry," he teased. "I won't look if you jump." Tenten scowled at him. The guy was reading her mind-it was uncanny. Irritating and uncanny. He came back up to the edge of the truck. 'Hey, I was just kidding." He held his arms out. "Come on I'll help you."

Tenten looked down into his beautiful onyx eyes from her perch in the truck, and awkwardly bent down, gathering the skirt of her dress between her knees. She grasped the edge of the tailgate with one hand and closed her fingers around Sasuke's with the other. She leaped down clumsily, almost falling. Quickly, he grabbed her around the waist. For a split second, his arms encircled her, hugging her against his broad chest. Tenten felt the warmth of his skin through his T-shirt and caught a whiff of, piney soap and vague scent like cedar chips. A tiny sigh escaped her. Flustered, she struggled upright. He quickly dropped his arms.

"Okay?" he asked, blushing a little. "Yeah, fine," Tenten mumbled. She concentrated on brushing off her dress so she wouldn't have to look at him. Her knees felt wobbly, but she didn't know why. It wasn't like it was a big deal that he helped her down. She just tripped a little. This whole place had her off balance. "Come on, you two!" Kotoru waved from the stoop of a small red wooden building perched on the stream bank. Dry yellow grasses lay in luxuriant swathes against the stone foundation, and the front entrance was draped in a profusion of wisteria. Tenten's dad pushed the oak door open, revealing an empty room beyond. Tenten and Sasuke walked inside.

The space was square, with bare plaster walls and a plank floor. There was no ceiling, only the underside of the roof and rafters soaring twenty feet overhead. Shallows swooped in and out of an open window set high into the wall. Sunlight filtered through the wavy old glass of the windows and painted shadow patterns on the floor. A faint film of dust covered everything.

"The last owners used this for storage," Kotoru explained. "But it was originally a barn for sheep, back when this was a farm as well as a vineyard. You can see how solidly it was built."

"Yeah, it really is," Sasuke said approvingly, knocking on the wall. Tenten gazed longingly out the window, wishing she could see Konaha from here. She whipped her head around and saw that both Dad and Sasuke were starring at her. "Mmmhmm!" She managed, pretending to admire the cobwebby walls. "So, what's the plan, Dad?" _Might as well get this over with. _"Well I'm glad you asked!" Her father grinned like a little boy on a sugar rush. "You can see that the structure is in good shape. All it needs is a quick scrub down and then....Fugaku and I want you two to transform it into our new wine-tasting room!" He paused for their reaction. Sasuke lifted his eyebrows slightly.

"Ah......great, Kotoru," he offered. Tenten's father barreled ahead. "We want you two to take complete control of this project, planning what you want in the room, ordering glasses, tables, chairs, wall art, rugs, etc.- after it's cleaned up of course." Tenten couldn't help herself. "So this is where the vineyard visitors come to get trashed, right?" She widened her eyes innocently. "Very funny, Tenten." Her dad looked annoyed. "The tasting room is where visitors _taste_ our wines-explore their nuances, discuss their various qualities. They can go into town if they want to drink until they get wasted. This is supposed to be a refined, relaxing room where people can focus on tasting good wine, enjoying conversation, and......." He strode over to the opposite side of the shed, where huge sliding doors stretched the entire length of one wall. Puffing a little, he pushed one back. Sunlight immediately flooded the entire room as he pushed open the other door. "Feasting on the view!" he finished triumphantly.

Tenten gazed out on the stunning view of the mountain. There was slightly awed silence as everyone took it in. Sasuke piped up. "Amazing. This is going to be great. Right, Tenten?" All she could do was stare at him in dismay. What had happened to her summer? Tanning? Partying? Sleeping late? What was she doing here, in a former sheep barn in the middle of the country? Her father, however, seemed oblivious to the intense pain he was causing his only child. "Well Fugaku and I are going to lay irrigation hose in the far quadrant today. I've got some cleaning supplies- buckets rags, and a couple of mops. There is water outside." He pointed out the window, where Tenten could see an old-fashioned metal spigot standing in the middle of a bare patch of ground. "Take some time to look around. And then get started."

Tenten stared pleadingly at her father, but he didn't seem to notice. She was stuck. Her dad waved over his shoulder as he left. Sasuke turned and walked over to a pile of cleaning stuff in the corner. His footsteps mixed with the noise of the stream burbling outside in the quiet of the shed. Tenten sighed as she sat down on an upturned bucket. She bent over and inspected the pedicure she'd gotten the day before the party. Chipped. And her bucket chair was filthy. She jumped up and twisted around. Great. She tried, fruitlessly, to brush off the giant dust mark on her skirt with her hands. She looked up and saw Sasuke staring at her. "What?" she snapped.

His eyes widened in surprise. "So....," he started, "what's the story with you?"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "What story?" He sat down on another bucket and laced his fingers together. She heard his spine crack as he stretched his arms over his head. "What's your deal, Tenten Tian? I mean, why are you here?" She walked away and looked out the window. "I have no idea, but I plan on leaving as soon as possible." She didn't plan on telling this guy the story of her party disaster. Why bother?

There was a pause. "Well, why don't you leave now? What's stopping you? It's pretty obvious that you don't like being here." Tenten snorted audibly. "You've got that right. And leaving isn't an option. I wouldn't be here if my parents weren't forcing me to stay." She turned around and studied him. "So, this is a pretty exciting summer for you, huh?" she asked defensively. "Playing in the dirt for two months"

He shrugged. "Actually, I had an awesome summer job lined up, but my dad asked me to come up and help him instead. I don't mind- the food's better up here. "oh, yeah? What job was that, herding sheep?" She knew she was being really bitchy, but Sasuke was starting to irritate her as much as the stupid, tiny bathroom. He obviously loved it here, which was just about the weirdest thing ever. What normal seventeen-year-old actually liked being stuck on a farm all summer?

"I was going to clear trails at a park with my buddy Naruto," he explained. "We worked there last year too. It was awesome."

"Oh." Tenten had nothing to say to that. She sat down again and took out her BlackBerry to see if anyone had called to say they missed her. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and strolled back to the corner with supplies. He rummaged around for a second and cleared his throat. "What?" Tenten looked up from her BlackBerry. No messages. Not a single e-mail. 'Well, nothing really. It's just your dad forgot to give us any soap or bleach or anything. It's just buckets and rags and mops."

"Oh, okay." Tenten was happy to hear it. Maybe they could just skip cleaning. Sasuke tilted his head to the side as he spoke. "So......we should get some," he slowly said, as if speaking to a child.

_Damn it. Thanks a lot, Sound Boy. _She sighed through her nose. "Um, maybe there's some at the house?" Sasuke considered this. "I have a better idea," he said, grabbing a broom and knocking some dust off one of the windows. "Why don't you go down to the grocery store on 17? Hatake's (yes I know it's named after Kakashi's last name I understand I couldn't think of any other name I could use for a grocery store so just deal with it ok?) They'll have everything we need." He continued sweeping the window, watching her.

She leaped from her perch on the bucket and stuck her BlackBerry in her pocket. Saved from cleaning hell! 'Okay. No problem," she replied. "What do we need? A bottle of bleach and some Mr. Clean? I'll be back soon!" She was out the door and halfway up the path before he could reply. The fresh mountain air against her face and the sun reflecting off the glossy grape leaves were as enticing as the thought of escaping the vineyard- even if it was just an hour. Sweet freedom! _____________________________________________________________________________________

**Yea I finished chapter 5 it was long though almost 5,000 words lol anyway did you guys like it?? Glad Sasuke is finally in the story I know he is a little out of character but deal ok Sasuke doesn't have to be so cold he can be a good person if he wants to be and he is in this story :P Review please and tell me what you think should happen in chapter 6! Please and Thank you :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey sorry I haven't got a new chapter up so soon I was busy with school, but here is chapter 6!!! =) hopefully you guys like it!! =) _____________________________________________________________________________________**

When she got to the house, Tenten rushed into the front hall. "Hello?" she called. Silence. Everyone was out working. Perfect. She searched through the seed catalogs, pieces of twine, and old junk mail covering the hall table for the keys to the Volvo. All she found was a single key attached to a dirty leather fob. It looked suspiciously like. . . Tenten ran to the front porch. The only vehicle in the driveway was, unfortunately, the red pickup truck. _Crap. Dad must have ridden with Fugaku. _She eyed the key and then stared at the truck. What the hell. She had to get out of here.

Tenten clattered down the wooden porch steps and wrenched open the heavy driver's-side door. She hesitated briefly at the sight of the ripped gray cloth seat with its exposed stuffing. Then she shrugged, climbed onto the running board, and hoisted herself into the driver's seat, where she took a deep breath and brushed her hair back from her already sweaty forehead. The interior reeked of dog, mildew, and something else- something familiar and disgusting. Tenten sniffed once again and again, resisting the urge to put her hand over her nose. She craned around. There, stacked in the truck bed, was the source of the disgusting odor: four big bags of fertilizer, also known as cowshit. Delightful.

Tenten faced front again and cranked the key in the ignition. She jumped as the engine roared. It was like sitting on a dragon. She threw the car into drive after a brief struggle with the sticky old gearshift and carefully turned around in the driveway. She scraped against a few branches as she pulled out. _This isn't too bad, _she thought. She remembered to signal and turned onto the main street, firing the truck to thirty-five. It shuddered a little but obeyed. _Woo-hoo. Now we're rocking._ The road unfurled before her like a ribbon and the breeze whipped in at her. Tenten sighed happily and reached her free arm out the window to feel the sun.

She had just passed a makeshift billboard reading MITCHELL'S GROCERY FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS HERE IN THE SOUND! 2 MI. in splashy red letters when her BlackBerry buzzed on the seat beside her. She picked it up and glanced at the screen. It was Neji. Finally! She pressed ANSWER. "I am so glad to hear your voice!" she squealed. "Hey, babe," he replied. Neji sounded like he was talking from the bottom of the ocean. Keeping one eye on the road, she looked back down at the screen. Only one bar.

"Neji the connection is terrible. I'm in the car."

"What I can't hear you. Go somewhere else."

"I can't! I'm driving right now!" Great. Four words into the conversation and she was already snapping at him.

"Okay! I can hear you now! Why are you yelling at me?"

She sighed. "Sorry. I'm in the worst mood."

"Well, I was going to ask how it's going up there, but I guess I don't have to."

"It completely sucks. I have to fix up a shed. I'm supposed to be cleaning it right now, but I escaped."

"Do you want me to drive up and rescue you?"

"Yes! But you can't. The party is still too fresh in my parents' minds. . . ." She was getting a crick in her neck from attempting to cradle the BlackBerry on her shoulder.

"I'm going to the Land of Rivers tomorrow anyway. But you know I was thinking about your birthday next month (yes I know Tenten's birthday is in March but it's going to be in July for this story). They'll have forgotten about the party by then. Why don't you get them to let you come back home for the weekend?"

"Are you kidding? I'm surprised they don't have me in chains. I think they're worried that I might run away or something if they let me off the property."

"Tell them you'll stay at Kristen's"

"I don't know," Tenten said doubtfully. "Maybe. I have to soften them up a bit first." She was vaguely aware that she was passing the grocery store, a big white building with a red sign on her right, but she kept driving.

"I really miss you." Neji's voice was soft.

Tenten felt tears creeping into her eyes. "I miss you too. Call me every day!"

"Well I told you I'm going to the Land of Rivers. But I'll call you when I can. Just forget about all that work for a while. You need to take a break and chill. You sound awful. Why don't you go do something fun?"

"Maybe I will." She sniffled. "Bye." She dropped her phone onto the passenger seat and took a deep breath. Neji was right. Buying bleach wasn't going to improve her mood. Tenten drove past pastures of dry yellow grass with black-and-white cows lying in clumps on the hillsides, interspersed with little cottages. The occasional irrigation pond sparkled blue under the cloudless sky. She snorted to herself. Who was she kidding? What was she going to do around here for fun? Go swimming with the cows?

The road widened as she approached a little town. Tenten eyed a small group of buildings clustered next to the street, shaded by massive redwood trees. Maybe there would be a coffee shop or something- _wait!_ She jammed on the brakes, pitching herself against the seat belt. Glancing in the rearview mirror for conformation, she read an elegant yellow and black sign out loud: "Oasis Day Spa."

She glanced around quickly and reversed the truck right back to the entrance. She killed the engine and quickly glanced at herself in the mirror, which was held together mostly with duct tape. Mmm. Hair wild and dry, dark circles under her eyes, skin flaking and red. It was a crime for her to walk around looking like this. _Right, _she thought. _No one should have to see me in this condition. _It was only right that she stop and have a couple treatments done. She'd probably do the people of the Sound a public service.

Tenten climbed down from the ridiculously high cab and did her best to brush off the assorted bits of straw, seat stuffing, and dog hair that were clinging to her dress. She gave up and marched through the tinted front doors of the spa. _Ahh,_ she thought as she entered. _Sanctuary._

The lighting was soft and dim, and Tenten could hear soft harp music in the background. a fountain in the corner tinkled soothingly. The air smelled like lavender and clean towels. Tenten wanted to kiss the carpet, but instead she addressed the dark-haired young woman behind the desk. "Do you have any open appointments today?"

The girl smiled as if she knew everything Tenten had been going through. "You're in luck. We just had an entire wedding party cancel for the afternoon. The bride had an allergic reaction to a kiwifruit and swelled up like a bull frog," she said cheerfully. She handed over the menu of treatments. "Can I recommend the Seaweed Stress Service? If you don't mind my saying so, you kind of look like you could use it."

Tenten touched the scaly skin on her cheeks and heaved a high sigh. "I don't mind at all. Actually, I couldn't agree more. I'll take the seaweed treatment and a hand a foot massage, too." Fifteen minutes later, Tenten found herself reclining on a cushioned table in another dimly lit room, listening to a nature sounds CD, while a girl named Shizune slathered her bare skin with a warm seaweed mixture the color and consistency of canned spinach. _Bliss. Utter bliss. _Shizune pressed a cold cucumber pack over Tenten's eyes and began kneading the bottoms of her feet. She quickly forgot all about bleach and cobwebs and annoyingly cute Sound boys as she drifted off into a delicious vision of her, Neji, a sailboat, and a freshly popped bottle of champagne. . . . .

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**Well how did you guys like?? Review please and I will try and get chapter 7 out as soon as possible but tell me what you think should happen ok? Thanks =D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey here is chapter 7 hope you guys like sorry it took sooo long to get out I've been really busy but I hope you guys enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! _**

"Tenten." Mom's voice came through the door of Tenten's room. "Wha-?" She drowsily opened her eyes. Her seaweed wrap and massage had so completely relaxed her that after leaving the spa, she'd come straight back to the house (without any Mr. Clean), sneaked upstairs, and promptly fallen asleep. There were now shadows gathering in the corners of the room. She had even managed to ignore the cricket, who was still cheeping away in his corner of the porch. The door opened. "Mmm-what time is it? I fell asleep."

Mom sat down on the side of the bed. "I can see that." she smoothed Tenten's hair gently. Tenten closed her eyes again. Mom's soft hand felt nice on her forehead. "Don't go back to sleep, honey. We forgot to tell you that we're having guests for dinner tonight. We're going to eat out on the lawn."

"Okay. Who's coming?" Tenten mumbled. "Well, I bet you didn't know we have a famous chef living down the road, did you? His name is Orochimaru and he has a wonderful restaurant down in the city. And he asked if he could bring his daughter tonight. She just arrived in town for the summer also- I think she's about your age. And there will be us, and Fugaku and Sasuke of course." Tenten opened her eyes. "Fugaku and Sasuke?"

"Well naturally. This will give you a chance to get to know everyone better. Did you have a good time working with Sasuke today?" Tenten turned and faced the wall. "It was okay." If she was going to ask about her birthday, now probably wasn't the time to tell Mom that she hated cleaning, hated being stuck in that shack, and had blown off her work for a spa day. "Oh, good, honey. But you need to get ready, because we're eating at nine, and it's eight already. And I found a little something for you when I went into town for groceries this afternoon. Just look at this darling dress I found it at a little boutique called Sun and Moon." She rummaged around in a shopping bag by her feet and came out with a coral red silk strapless dress. Tenten couldn't believe it- it was adorable. Usually Mom tried to get Tenten to wear "classic" outfits- which, translated, meant stiff collars and prim buttons.

"That's so cute! Thanks Mom." Her mom smiled. "I can't believe you like it. This may be a first for us." Tenten grinned back as Mom rose from the bed. "Oh, by the way, honey, when you take a shower, remember, the hot and cold faucets are reversed. You have to turn the cold all the way on first and then off, then turn the hot on, and then turn the cold back on. And don't worry if the pipes scream a little." She must have noticed the stricken look on her daughter's face, because she gave Tenten a reassuring little pat on the knee before leaving.

After her shower in the tiny bathroom, during which Tenten barely managed to remember her mother's instructions about the hot and cold. She combed her hair in front of the vanity mirror in her room. She turned and gazed out the porch doors at the fading sunset. A crimson line burned just above the black silhouette of the mountains. Above the scarlet, the sky had melted into its deepest shade of blue. She could just make out the evening's first tiny star. She felt as if the gathering dusk had smoothed her afternoon's rough edges. Her face was still glowing from the shower, and a touch of sunburn tinged the bridge of her nose and the tops of her cheeks. Her shoulders shone smooth and brown as she zipped up the red pleated dress. It fit perfectly. The patterned silk slid against her skin and fluttered just above her knees. She decided to skip jewelry and tucked her long hair behind her ears, letting it hang over her shoulders. Barefoot, she headed down the stairs to the kitchen, where Mom was pulling a giant rack of lamb studded with rosemary out of the oven. " Mmm! That smells great!"

"Remember the neighbor who owns the Emmett the pig? He brought over this lamb this morning. He feels bad that Emmett got out again."

"Oh that's nice of him, I guess." Apparently, in the Sound, people apologized with animal parts. "What else are we having?"

"Will you get the corn salad and bring it out back? We're going to eat at the picnic table." Mom's face was flushed as she carved the lamb. She glanced at the clock. "Uh, we're having cold cucumber soup and the tomato-corn salad, and Orochimaru brought a chocolate- almond torte for dessert."

"Yum." Tenten loved cold cucumber soup. She hefted the big white bowl and balanced it on one arm as she stuck a wooden spoon in it. The screen door banged behind her and she stepped onto the back porch. The yard was dark, save for the flaring candles on the picnic table and some light spilling from the kitchen windows. After her eyes adjusted, she could see a little knot of people standing on the lawn with drinks in hand. She could see Sasuke's rangy figure slouching off to one side. Everyone turned at the sound of the screen door. "Tenten!" Her father waved. "Come and meet Orochimaru and Karin!"

_Orochimaru and who? _She hugged the heavy salad bowl as the cool grass slipped between her bare toes. She felt a little self-conscious with everyone watching as she approached. Kotoru announced, "This is my lovely daughter Tenten." He gave her a little one-armed squeeze. Fugaku smiled at her. Sasuke faked a look of surprise. "Wow! You're here! I thought maybe you got kidnapped by grocery baggers or something," he said, pressing his hand to his chest. "I was so worried." Tenten ignored him. "Hello," she said to the tall, skinny, and pale white man standing next to her father. He had long black hair and snake like eyes.

"Hello," he replied quickly, his eyes darting somewhere over her shoulder. "And this is Karin," Tenten's father went on. "Hi," the girl said casually. She was tall and skinny, with red eyes and matching hair and an unusual hairstyle: her hair is short and unkempt on one side, while long and combed on the other. She had brown glasses and she wore tight jeans and a really revealing shirt. Tenten wished she hadn't chosen the silk dress. It seemed fussy all of a sudden. "Tenten!" her mother's voice called from the house. "Oh, sorry," Tenten said. "I think I'd better-"

"Go help your mother," her dad said. "I was just going to show everyone the aging room before we eat." The group trailed away across the grass. Orochimaru, Fugaku, Kotoru talked animatedly in the front, with Sasuke and Karin side by side in the back. Their tall, lean figures matched somehow. _They could pass as brother and sister, _Tenten thought. She forced herself to stop staring and went over to the long trestle table at the very edge of the lawn, where the grass ended and the grapevines began. She placed the salad bowl at one end and stepped back to admire the surprisingly romantic setting. The table looked gorgeous. Tenten's mother had used cream colored linens and scattered flickering candles everywhere. The air was redolent with the scent of lavender arranged in ceramic vases at either end. Tenten couldn't help tilting her head up, her mouth open like that of a little kid, and gazing at the stars flung like powder across the black velvet sky. It never got this purely dark in Konaha.

Tenten's mother came up next to her, balancing the giant platter of lamb. Fragrant steam curled up from the hot, pink meat. "Isn't it just lovely out here?" she said, moving some of the candles around to make a place for the platter. "Yeah," Tenten admitted. "I've never seen so many stars before."

"I thought the same thing the first time Dad and I came up here." Across the yard, Tenten could see the shadowy forms of the group returning from their tour. "Oh my goodness, this looks wonderful, just wonderful," Orochimaru said, flitting around the table like an excited child. "Well. we're ready to eat. Have a seat," Mom waved her hands over the table. Everyone shuffled around, pulling chairs and shaking out their napkins. For a few minutes, the only sounds were of the clink of silverware and the breeze in the vines just behind them as people concentrated on their food. Sasuke sat next to Tenten, and Karin sat across the table.

"Amaya," Orochimaru said, putting down his fork for a moment, "this is all wonderful-wonderful! I'll take some more of that corn salad."

"Here, just pass me your plate." Tenten's mom smiled as she dished out a generous portion of salad. Kotoru and Fugaku were discussing oak versus metal fermenting tanks at one end of the table. Sasuke glanced over at Tenten. "Always business," he said with a smirk. Karin turned to Sasuke. "So, I know this sounds weird, but you look really familiar. Did you go to the Land of the Waves Camp?"

"Yea, I did," Sasuke replied, scooping up a forkful of corn salad. "I was actually thinking the same thing about you. I went there for years, and then I was a counselor the summer before last."

"Wait-me too!" Karin laughed. "That must be what I was thinking of." Tenten concentrated on her plate. Perfect. Now she had to listen to these two bond? She looked around the table. Every face was relaxed and smiling in the soft candle light as people ate and drank and chatted. She was the only one who wasn't having a good time and, apparently, the only person on the planet who didn't love, love, love the Sound. Tenten stuffed a bite of lamb into her mouth and chewed morosely. Next to her, Sasuke and Karin were still falling all over each other in the ecstasy of their shared memories of the Land of Waves Camp. Remember that girl Mitori, the drama counselor?" Sasuke was saying. "I ran into her a few weeks ago. She's dating that American dude- what was his name?"

"John! Oh my God, I haven't thought about him in forever!" Karin laughed. "Hey, do you remember that one canoe trip. . ." Sasuke was dropping his voice. Karin erupted into giggles, putting her hands over her mouth. Tenten's face was growing hot and she could feel her jaw clenching. It was actually rude of them to be telling inside jokes right here at the table, she thought, twisting her napkin in her lap. Not that she cared, because she didn't. But you'd think if they wanted to have a freaking Camp orgy, they'd do it somewhere else. Karin must have sensed something, because she abruptly broke off conversation with Sasuke and leaned toward Tenten. "So, when did you get here?" she asked. "Hmm?" Tenten pretended she hadn't heard at first. "What? Oh, yesterday." She offered a tight smile. There was an awkward little pause. Then Karin nodded. "Yeah, I just got in this morning." More silence. Tenten stayed quiet for the rest of the meal. All around her, conversation flowed effortlessly, like water around a stone. Why should she bother being sociable when everyone was doing just fine without her help? She didn't even have an appetite for the chocolate-almond torte, although she had to admit it looked incredible. She gazed the vines, letting the breeze and the moonlight reflecting off the glossy grape leaves soothe her.

Eventually, Kotoru pushed back his chair. "Anyone up for a moonlight stroll?" he asked. "I think we could all use a little exercise after that wonderful meal." He looked over at his wife. "You all go ahead," she said. "I'll just clean up a bit." The group rose from the table slowly and gathered wraps and wineglasses. Amaya started stacking plates. "I'll help you clean up a little, Mom," Tenten volunteered. Her mother looked up, a little startled. "Don't you want to-?"

"No. I want to help you." There was no way she wanted to spend one more minute with these people. Besides, if she could get her mom alone, it would be the perfect chance to ask about her birthday. "Okay, honey. Let's get all the dishes first." Tenten gathered up the used silverware and dumped it into an empty serving dish. Then she made her way across the cool, dark grass toward the warm glow of the kitchen.

Inside, Amaya started filling the sink with soapy water for the dishes. Tenten wrapped up some leftover cake. "Well, I think that went well," Mom chattered, splashing around with the sponge. "I love that corn salad recipe, but what do you think about white corn, Tenten?"

"Mom," Tenten interrupted. Her mother stopped talking and looked over. Tenten took a deep breath. She would have to approach this carefully. "You know, my birthday's next month. . . . ."

"I think I just might remember that." Tenten's mom gave her a little smile as she scraped cucumber scraps into the compost bucket. Tenten took a deep breath. "I was thinking that maybe I could go back to Konaha just for the weekend, to celebrate." Her mom's back tensed, but Tenten rushed ahead. "I could stay with Sakura-"

"We'll see," Tenten's mother cut her off. "Let's see how it goes here before we talk about any privileges." Tenten's plan was teetering on a very dangerous ledge. "I know, but I was thinking if I stayed. . ."

"I heard that part. I also heard you tell your Dad and me that you would be completely responsible if we left you alone all summer. And I seem to remember seeing patio furniture floating in my swimming pool and a roomful of underage teenagers spilling beer on my leather sofa. Let me talk to your father." BAM. The plan fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Her dad would never let her go. Tenten's mother heaved the big roasting pan into the soapy water. "Would you go out to the porch?" she said, raising her voice over the sound of the taps. "I think there are still some empty glasses out there- everyone was sitting out front before dinner." Tenten nodded and trailed slowly through the darkened living room and the foyer out the front door. She struggled to contain her disappointment. She'd known any chance of celebrating her birthday in Konaha was iffy, but there was alwyas a chance. Maybe she should have waited longer. That was it-she'd just ask later, after they saw that she'd been on her best behavior. The front porch was unlit, but her eyes adjusted, she could see well enough to gather the scattered wineglasses onto a tray. She padded down the porch steps and had just rounded the side of the house when she heard someone talking. It sounded like the voice was coming from the front, where she had just been. She stopped, listened, and realized the voice was Sasuke's. He must have just come back from the stroll through the vines and hadn't noticed her in the dark on the porch. He was talking to someone standing in the yard, near the parked truck. The cicadas and crickets were making a giant racket in the trees, but when she held her breath she could make out the words.

". . . .stuck here the whole summer," he was saying.

"Well, I don't know what you guys are going to talk about all day. You're really different." Tenten inhaled sharply. He was talking about _her_- and with that bitchy Karin!

"I don't know- my mom always said I could talk to a potato if I had to. I mean, come on. We can talk about..." Sasuke trailed off. Tenten cringed as Karin laughed. "See? You can't think of anything. You might as well just face it- she's a spoiled suburban brat. I mean, she practically gagged at dinner when I told her what I was doing this summer."

_I did not,_ Tenten thought.

Sasuke laughed a little. "She's definitely nothing like I expected she'd be, that's for sure." Tenten had had enough. She couldn't believe they would talk about her this way. As she backed away, her toe caught the edge of a wooden rocker and sent her tumbling forward, almost off the porch steps. _Crash!_ The tray fell, shattering the glasses all over the porch. Sasuke stopped talking. Overwhelming silence was broken only rooted in place. Slowly, Sasuke's figure turned and peered up at the porch. as soon as he saw Tenten, his eyes got wide as a deer in headlights. He opened his mouth as if he was about to speak, but Tenten gave him her most hateful glare and turned her back, walking into the house with slow deliberation. She could feel his eyes burning into her back until the door shut behind her with a bang.

Forgetting about the mess of broken glass, Tenten tore up the stairs to her room and slammed the door. Her heart pounded under her ribs, and her breath whistled through her nose with anger. With fists clenched, Tenten threw herself onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling, where a spider was peacefully spinning a web in one corner. Everything was quiet and then..._cheep, cheep, cheep!_

"Shut up!" Tenten shouted, and bolted from the bed. Furiously, she yanked open the porch doors. the cheeping stopped. Silence again. She stood still for a second and then turned and slowly went back into the room. She laid down and reached for her BlackBerry to call Sakura. _CHEEP. CHEEP! CHEEP, CHEEP!_ It was never-ending. Tenten threw the phone on the bedside table and rolled over, pulling a pillow over her head. Forget it. Why was everything going wrong? She had never felt so out of place. No wonder Sasuke liked Karin better. At least she wasn't a spoiled suburban brat.

**Well there it is! :) Sorry again for the delay! Chapter 8 will be out soon! I'm going to try and work on it this week and over next weekend. Review please! :D**


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